"That is perfectly satisfactory," said Ralph;""um, um," expresses either the desire to possess a sweet apple, or the objection to a sour one. I have heard of delicate shades of language before, but this is the sublimity thereof."
And Ralph laughed.
"I never saw such a person," said f.a.n.n.y, pouting.
"By the bye," said Ralph.
"Well, sir?"
"What was there so interesting in the toes?"
"They were lovely."
"Anything else?"
"Beautiful."
"That all? Come, now, tell me the charm in those feet which you young ladies designated, I remember, as "teensy," and expressed your desire to "tiss." Shocking perversion of the king"s English--and in honor of nothing but two dirty little feet!" said Ralph.
The storm which was visited upon Ralph"s unhappy head for this barbarous criticism was dreadful. f.a.n.n.y declared, in express terms, that he was a monster, an ogre, and with a stone in his breast instead of a heart. To which Mr. Ralph replied, that the best writers of ancient and modern times had nowhere designated as a monster the man who was not in raptures at the sight of babies;--whereupon Miss f.a.n.n.y declared her disregard of writers in general, and her preference for babies--at which stage of the discussion Ralph began to whistle.
Why not catch the laughter of those youthful lips, and tell how the young men and maidens amused themselves that fine autumn day?
Everything innocent and fresh is beautiful--and there are eyes which shine more brightly than the sun, voices which make a softer music than the breezes of October in the laughing trees. Redbud"s face and voice had this innocence and joy in it--there was pleasure in the very sound of it; and such a delicate kind of light in the soft eyes, that as they went, the young men felt more pure, and bowed to her, as something better than themselves--of higher nature.
The light of f.a.n.n.y"s eyes was more brilliant; but Redbud"s were of such softness that you forgot all else in gazing at them--lost your heart, looking into their lucid depths of liquid light.
One heart was irremediably lost long since, and, gone away into the possession of the young lady. This was Verty"s; and as they went along he gazed so tenderly at the young girl, that more than once she blushed, and suffered the long lashes to fall down upon her rosy cheek.
f.a.n.n.y was talking with Ralph;--for these young gentlemen had made the simple and admirable arrangement, without in the least consulting the ladies, that Verty should always entertain and be entertained by Redbud, Ralph quarrel with, and be quarreled with, by f.a.n.n.y.
Each, on the present occasion, was carrying out his portion of the contract; that is to say, Verty and Redbud were quietly smiling at each other; Ralph and f.a.n.n.y were exchanging repartees.
They came thus to the knoll which they had stopped upon in the forenoon.
The fine kite--tied to a root, as we have said--was hovering far up among the clouds, swaying and fluttering its streamers in the wind: the various colors of the paper, and the flowers almost wholly indiscernible, so high had it ascended.
"Look!" said f.a.n.n.y, "there it is up among the swallows, which are flying around it as if they never saw a kite before."
"Female swallows, doubtless," observed Ralph, carelessly.
"Female? Pray, why?"
"Because they have so much curiosity; see, you have made me utter what is not common with me."
"What, sir?"
"A bad witticism."
f.a.n.n.y laughed, and replied, gazing at the kite:
"Your witticisms are, of course, always, fine--no doubt very cla.s.sic; now I will send up a messenger on the string. Redbud, have you a piece of paper?"
Redbud drew the paper from her ap.r.o.n pocket, and gave it to f.a.n.n.y, with a smile.
f.a.n.n.y tore the yellow sc.r.a.p into a circle, and in the centre of this circle made a hole as large as her finger.
"Now, Mr. Ralph, please untie the string from the root."
"With pleasure," said the young man; "for you, my heart"s delight, I would--"
"Come, come, sir! you make an oration upon every occasion!"
With many remonstrances at being thus unceremoniously suppressed, Mr.
Ralph knelt down, and untied the string.
"Does it pull strongly, Mr. Ralph?" said Redbud, smiling.
"Oh, yes! you know it was nearly as tall as myself--just try."
"The messenger first!" cried f.a.n.n.y.
And she slipped it over the string.
"Now, Miss Redbud, just try!" said Ralph.
Redbud wrapped the string around her hand, and Ralph let it go.
"How do you like it!" he said.
"Oh!" cried Redbud, "it is so strong!--there must be a great wind in the clouds!--Oh!" added the girl, laughing, "it is cutting my hand in two!"
And she caught the string with her left hand to relieve the afflicted member.
"Give it to me!" cried f.a.n.n.y.
"Yes, give it to her; she has the arm of an Amazon," said Ralph, enthusiastically.
"Humph!"
And having entered this, her standing protest, f.a.n.n.y laughed, and unwound the string from Redbud"s hand, on whose white surface two crimson circles were visible.
"I can hold it!" cried the young girl, "easily!"
And to display her indifference, f.a.n.n.y knelt on one knee to pick up her gloves.
The consequence of this movement was, that the heavy kite, struck, doubtless, at the moment by a gust of wind, jerked the lady with the Amazonian arm so violently, that, unable to retain her position, she fell upon her left hand, then upon her face, and was dragged a pace or two by the heavy weight.
"By Jove!" cried Ralph, running to her, "did anybody--"